Naruto hasn't been keen on staying in the office lately.
Soi-Fong is incredibly curious about everything regarding him.
Having someone by your side who doesn't speak but constantly stares at you is a bit strange; even Kurama feels uneasy.
Whenever he gets a chance, he sneaks out of the barracks and hangs out with Uncle Shunsui.
Inside the izakaya.
"Have you been interacting with Vice-Captain Kuchiki recently, Naruto?" Shunsui peered into his glass, which still contained milk, making him purse his lips.
He wasn't referring to Kuchiki Gangchun, but rather Byakuya Kuchiki, who had taken over for his father.
Naruto shook his head. "Byakuya is already at the final stage of his Bankai training, isn't he?
I haven't gone to bother him."
Isshin Shiba shook his head, took a sip of his drink, and chuckled. "He probably hasn't had much time for Bankai training lately, considering he spends every available moment in the Rukongai."
Naruto furrowed his brow, speaking in a serious tone, "Another incident has occurred?"
Kyōraku Shunsui lightly tapped Naruto on the head. "Don't always jump to such grim conclusions.
This time, it's something good."
Naruto tilted his head, puzzled. "Something good?"
Frankly speaking, "Kuchiki family" and "Rukongai" are two terms with completely opposite attributes.
If it weren't for a mission, Naruto believes Byakuya Kuchiki would never go to Rukongai.
Let alone, as Isshin Shiba said, going there at every opportunity.
Especially at this crucial moment in his Bankai training.
"The only thing that can make a man linger is a woman," Shunsui quipped after a sip of sake. "Even someone like Vice-Captain Kuchiki isn't an exception."
Isshin Shiba nodded in agreement. "It's intriguing to think about what kind of woman can captivate Vice-Captain Kuchiki so thoroughly."
Naruto was taken aback. From these two older men's words, he realized, "Byakuya is in love?"
The two exchanged a knowing smile and nodded in affirmation.
"It's hard to imagine," Naruto sighed.
Byakuya Kuchiki has always been aloof, and even when interacting with me, his demeanor only slightly softened.
"What is it like to have a crush on someone?"
"Naruto, do you have someone you like?" Shunsui suddenly shifted the topic.
With a smirk, Isshin Shiba set down his drink, "I've heard Naruto and Captain Soi-Fong from the Second Squad have been getting pretty close recently."
"Whenever she has time, she visits the Seventh Squad often."
Shunsui mused as the seasoned playboy, offering his judgment, "Captain Soi-Fong, huh?"
"She'd be quite cute if she wasn't so cold."
"Lacks a bit of femininity, but she's still young, after all."
Naruto replied earnestly, "Captain Soi-Fong is visiting for matters concerning Sister Yoruichi, nothing more."
"There's nothing between us."
Seeing his serious response, the two older men lost the humorous urge to tease Naruto.
How uninteresting!
This was the time to feign bashfulness, a little back-and-forth!
Being this earnest, diminishes the fun in teasing.
"It seems news about Byakuya has reached so many ears." As the two elder gentlemen drank and awaited the arrival of their other companions, an elderly voice broke the moment.
The three turned their attention.
"Captain Kuchiki?" Even Shunsui Kyoraku seemed taken aback.
Ginrei Kuchiki waved his hand, "May I take a seat here?"
They nodded, with Naruto scooting over to make room.
"Thank you." Ginrei sat down, offering a gentle smile, "Kindly don't look at me like that."
"Isn't this an arena I'm suited to?"
Naruto wanted to nod but resisted the impulse.
Besides the occasional visit from the younger Byakuya Kuchiki, members of the four noble families rarely set foot in places they disdained.
"I've come to find Captain Naruto," Ginrei stated directly.
Naruto quirked a brow, confused, "Me? What about?"
"Byakuya's situation, as you all know." Ginrei continued, "So I won't reiterate it."
"He's not been himself lately, still diligently handling squad duties,"
"but his progress in Bankai training has stalled."
"I think it might be related to his ties to the Rukongai," he paused, bowing solemnly to Naruto. "That's why I want to ask Captain Naruto, as an old friend of Byakuya, to investigate the situation and help him resolve the trouble that plagues his heart."
Naruto quickly helped the elder up. "What if, just like Uncle Shunsui suggests, Byakuya has fallen for a woman from Rukongai?"
In this world, there is a significant chasm between nobility and ordinary Death Gods.
Unless one can attain a high-ranked officer position, such as a lieutenant or captain, they cannot be considered equal to nobility.
Even ordinary nobility have these distinctions.
Then there's the Kuchiki family, one of the four great noble clans.
"Byakuya is the future head of the Kuchiki family," Ginrei Kuchiki didn't answer directly. "He needs to learn to make his own decisions."
"His decisions influence the entire Kuchiki family."
Naruto nodded and agreed to the task.
Three days later.
Byakuya Kuchiki finished his day's training and left the Sixth Squad barracks, burdened with thoughts.
Just as he reached the entrance, he encountered someone he didn't expect.
"Captain Naruto?" he said, surprised, but greeted him politely nonetheless.
Naruto raised a hand, pointing outward. "Do you mind if I accompany you?"
Byakuya nodded slightly. "Of course."
He led Naruto into Rukongai.
In the place he gazed upon, a black-haired woman with a gentle, kind face smiled warmly as she greeted her neighbors.
"Is she the girl you like?" Naruto asked, following Byakuya's line of sight.
Byakuya spoke softly, "Did grandfather send you to persuade me?"
"Don't worry, I'll adjust soon."
Naruto didn't answer directly. "Why not go down and say hello?"
Byakuya shook his head, speaking calmly with restraint, "That would only deepen our bond."
"She and I are from different worlds."
Naruto turned, his gaze settling on Byakuya. "Is it because of the difference between nobility and commoners?"
Byakuya nodded slightly, his tone icy. "Yes."
"The women of Rukongai might captivate me momentarily."
"But this difference in identity won't force me to act irrationally."
Naruto interrupted his words, "That's a lie."
Kagura's Mind Eye fed back the emotions; every word was falsehood and deception.
Byakuya was taken aback.
"It's not because of her status that you don't want to greet her," Naruto continued with a cheerful smile.
Byakuya fell silent.
Naruto kept his gaze on the black-haired woman, suddenly realizing something, "She has no spiritual power on her, she's just an ordinary soul."
"Is it because of that?"
Byakuya remained silent.
"Your lifespan is endless, whereas an ordinary soul can live only for a century at most," Naruto said softly.
Byakuya stared fixedly, "So just letting me watch over her is enough."
"After decades, when she passes away."
Naruto interrupted him once again, "That's also a lie."
Finally, Byakuya looked away from the black-haired woman and turned to Naruto, his voice firm, "What I said just now wasn't a lie."
Naruto corrected him, "Yes, it was a lie."
"You might deceive others or even yourself."
"But you cannot deceive me."
"When you said, 'Just let me watch over her like this,' that was a lie. You're not content with just that."
Byakuya was silent once more.
Turning his eyes back to the street, Naruto said, "Even though I don't have someone I like right now."
"I once did."
"When I saw her talking to others, I'd feel jealous and unhappy."
"But when she talked to me, it made me very happy."
"I wanted to be close to her, to have a home with her."
"So, Byakuya, your desires are likely similar."
Byakuya took a deep breath. "Captain Naruto, your ability to sense truth in words is truly bothersome."
Kagura's Mind Eye reported back that this was true.
Naruto chuckled, "Byakuya, tell me the real reason, why are you afraid to approach her?"
Byakuya remained silent, reluctant to speak.
Lies couldn't deceive him; if anything must be said, it had to be the truth.
Naruto urged him on.
After a while, unable to withstand Naruto's persistence, Byakuya finally spoke, "She is just an ordinary soul, but I am the heir of the Kuchiki clan."
"Marrying her would tarnish the glory and standards of the noble class."
"Moreover, Captain Naruto, you should be familiar with the concept of True Blood."
Naruto nodded.
True Blood refers to a concept related to the bloodlines of the Shinigami, yet it holds real significance.
Ordinary souls, and even regular Shinigami, lack the ability to conceive children.
Only those Shinigami who have reached a certain level of power can bear offspring.
Offspring from unions between Shinigami are collectively known as 'True Blood.'
'True Blood' Shinigami possess a more stable innate talent than those reincarnated from souls.
Nearly every 'True Blood' can hold officer positions.
This is the origin of those 'Lower Nobles' in Seireitei.
"If such an absurd reason is keeping you from moving forward..." Naruto shook his head, speaking softly, "Byakuya, this is very disappointing to me."
Byakuya's expression did not change.
He too detested this aspect of himself.
Naruto paused, then continued, "Let's bring up someone we both dislike."
"Ginrei Shipcove."
Upon hearing this name, a slight shift crossed Byakuya's face.
"Despite how utterly disagreeable he may be, he never let himself be troubled by noble notions."
Naruto spoke softly, his steps brisk, as he flash-stepped away.
He landed in front of a young woman with black hair.
Byakuya instinctively reached out but was too late to stop him.
The sudden arrival startled the black-haired woman, causing her water bucket to wobble and tip over.
Naruto caught it with ease.
The woman immediately bowed in gratitude, "Thank you, Shinigami-sama!"
"There's no need to be so formal," Naruto said softly, "I'm a friend of Byakuya's."
The young woman's eyes lit up instantly, "A friend of the great Kuchiki!"
"Excuse me, how should I address you?" Naruto asked again.
The woman with black hair smiled gently, "Just call me Hijin."
(End of Chapter)